The embattled commission in charge of selecting the applicant pool for the Independent Redistricting Commission is gaining defenders, this time from a group including current and former moderate Republican legislators.

“We can’t just give the Legislature the finger and ignore them. They raised some legitimate concerns, although antagonistically.” — Mick Rusing, a member of the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, on having to convene again after Republican legislative leaders complained about the slate of nominees sent to them.

The process of picking Arizona's next Independent Redistricting Commission took a dramatic turn Dec. 14 when a legislative leader threatened to sue and a member of a selection committee resigned as criticism mounted over religious comments he made.

Final campaign spending reports from the 2010 election season revealed desperation by ultimately unsuccessful candidates who loaned their campaigns large amounts of money, as well as aggressive spending by winning candidates who likely didn’t need it.